UK: Britain's Terror Addiction

Debates over the causes of radicalization and extremism in Britain invariably focus on how to tackle support for groups such as ISIS and Al Qaeda. But why is it that Hamas and PFLP are deemed moderate regardless of how many civilians they murder?

"God be praised for the martyrdom operation in Jerusalem and news of the state of the killed and injured." — Interpal partner Ahmed Brahimi, in response to the murder of Israeli Jews praying in a synagogue.

The response to the murder of four Israelis praying at a synagogue in Jerusalem on November 18 was, in some quarters, one of jubilation.

Although Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the murders, officials of his political party, Fatah, were careful to explain on Palestinian television that the terrorists were "blessed…soldiers of Allah" and that Abbas had only issued a condemnation for "diplomatic reasons... [he] is forced to speak this way to the world."

Other Palestinian groups were less oblique. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which claimed responsibility for the murderous attack, described the terror operation as "heroic" and handed out sweets on the streets of Gaza.

Hamas praised the attack and described the murders as "a quality development... an appropriate and functional response to the crimes of the occupation."

In Britain, it is not the equivocal response of Fatah that draws sympathy from various political and religious groups, but the forthright violence of Hamas and the PFLP.

On September 28, a British Marxist group, the "Tricontinental Anti-Imperialist Platform," organized in central London an event entitled, "Gaza and the Palestinian Revolution," featuring, as its main speaker, Leila Khaled.

In 1969 and 1970, Leila Khaled, armed with several hand grenades, hijacked two planes. She was released by the British government as part of a hostage exchange deal. Today, Khaled is still a member of the PFLP's central committee.

In 2012, Khaled spoke at University College London, as part of the annual Marxism Festival, an event organized to celebrate "resistance" to "imperialism."

Not all support for the PFLP, however, is confined to the extremes. Christian Aid, one of the UK's largest charities, funds and supports Palestinian NGOs openly managed by PFLP operatives.

British groups and individuals who support Hamas are even more extreme. An official of the Project for Peace and Development in Palestine (PPDP), a group founded in Britain and a key partner of the British charity Interpal, recently rejoiced over the recent murders in Jerusalem. In response to the synagogue killings, Ahmed Brahimi wrote: "God is most great... God be praised for the martyrdom operation in Jerusalem and news of the state of the killed and injured... God is Most Great and God be praised."

Brahimi is an Algerian national who took part in the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" in 2010 as a passenger aboard the Mavi Marmara, which was raided by Israeli forces. His organization, the PPDP, was officially established in Britain in 2007. It held its inaugural event at the British Library in London.

The event was organized by Interpal and a number of other British Islamic charities accused of belonging to the Union of Good -- a coalition of charities that works to obtain the financial support for Hamas's political and terrorist activities. The British Library event, however, did not mark the actual beginning of the PPDP. The group originally seems to have been a project managed by Interpal itself, which was in operation as early as 2004.

Interpal, a leading British Islamic charity, is designated as a terrorist organization under US law. Interpal's officials regularly meet with senior Hamas leaders. In 2006, a BBC documentary accused Interpal of funding Hamas front groups in the Palestinian territories. Notwithstanding the evidence, Interpal received £536,000 of taxpayers' money from the British government in 2012 through a tax relief scheme named Gift Aid.

Today, the PPDP, which operates out of Gaza, maintains an office and bank account in the UK through which it privately raises funds.

Directors listed on the PPDP's registered company in the UK include Interpal trustee Essam Yousef. Moreover, the PPDP does not attempt to hide its affiliations – it has its own weekly program on one of Hamas's television channels, Al-Quds TV.

While officially, the PPDP provides loans and grants to help "empower young people and help reduce unemployment through education," its main role is to finance and manage the Miles of Smiles initiative, a regular expedition of convoys established in 2007.

Miles of Smiles supplies the Hamas government's welfare programs in Gaza. The convoys are supported by the Union of Good, but are chiefly organized by the PPDP and senior Interpal trustees. Several times a year, Ahmed Brahimi and Interpal trustee Essam Yousef lead the convoys into Gaza, where they are welcomed by senior Hamas leaders.

Ahmed Brahimi with Ahmad Bahar, a senior Hamas official who has called for the killing of Jewish children across the world.

The PPDP's Ahmed Brahimi has previously expressed support for murdering Jews. On November 5, for instance, after the Palestinian terrorist Ibrahim Akari drove his car into a group of Israeli citizens – killing one and injuring twenty -- Brahimi exclaimed: "This hero, this lion, this son of Islam who took vengeance for Al-Aqsa with his spirit and with his blood... with the operation to kill pigs [Jews]."

In Britain, declarations of disgust for specific acts of terrorism often seem designed merely to shroud tolerance for pro-terror views. The Guardian, for example, condemned the synagogue murders in Israel and described Hamas's celebrations of the attacks as "depressing"; but a mere four days before the terror attack, the newspaper published an opinion piece by Hamas official Ahmed Yousef, which set out to defend the Hamas charter, a document that explicitly calls for the eradication of not only Israelis but Jews.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Brahimi's PPDP has entertained members of the House of Lords; Interpal enjoys the support of parliamentary motions signed by dozens of British MPs and is painted as a victim of Islamophobia by prominent newspaper journalists; and the PFLP, addressing crowds of supporters in London, is considered a heroic bulwark against Western "imperialism."

Debates between politicians and commentators over the causes of radicalization and extremism in Britain invariably focus on how to tackle support for groups such as ISIS and Al Qaeda. But why is it that Hamas and PFLP are deemed moderate, regardless of how many civilians they murder?

One enormous factor in the spread of Islamic extremism surely must be the networks of charities that seem to support Palestinian terrorist organizations – networks that include groups such as Interpal and the PPDP. Will these organizations ever be shut down?

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17 Reader Comments

Zafar Bukhari • Dec 8, 2014 at 00:43

I think the article is missing a key argument; why are these openly terrorist charities being tolerated at all -if not actually being feted? Especially in the UK, which has had enjoyed good relations with Israel over the past decade.

While I, personally, think it is quite important that Jerusalem be a holy city for the Jews, with the attendant security arrangement that might entail - I completely understand the exhaustion of having to tolerate the Israeli position regarding the annexation of property, if not the entire apartheid machinery. And it isn't so much the question of access to Human Rights across the population, as much as it is the futility of wishing for a straightforward dialogue with Israeli leadership. Given the rich history, this is particularly dark time.

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Janice • Dec 7, 2014 at 17:23

The UN failed its 70 year old charter for world peace...now it works for those who kill Christians. The world must be aware by now that the Christians and Jews are targeted to have their lives cut short till there are no more on earth.

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Mike Conlon • Dec 7, 2014 at 17:14

This deception of a moderate message in English vs a pro-terror or terrorist message using a non english language i Islamic countries for the message has been reported in conservative press for years, and appears to be slowly breaking through to the mainstream press. Oh, wait - this isn't one of the mass market sites, and tends to conservative news. Well, thanks Gatestone, and keep up the good work.

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Joe Berkley • Dec 4, 2014 at 23:52

Why is the government of Britain not concerned about the Queen. and her family's future over the next 20/30 yrs,what's going to happen to the Monarchy that I have respected for my 82 yrs. is it possible that Britain has never heard about the Trojan story. Someone had better wake up,the manipulators are imbedded in the free democratic countries, and will eventually take over. Their ideology is to take over our free democratic countries, also they know that it will take years to do it, watching their success in Britain and other countries, it will not take them to long to accomplish their goals this time.

A concerned old man for the future of his grandchildren. JB.

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JohnB • Dec 4, 2014 at 23:04

If I were the President of the United States (not Obama...!) I would be reminding the British how we rescued their arses in two World Wars. Because they have become so tolerant of the Muslims (Islamist) in their midst, it will be very hard to come to their aid a third time. The Muslims in their midst sided with Hitler in WWII, provided a 100,000 Muslim volunteers to fight the Russians and hunt down Jews for the camps. I would eliminate the favorable passport VISA status the Brits enjoy and cut down the immigration and tourist VISA allowed, place them on the list of nations harboring terrorist, and discourage American tourism until these people wake up and stand against the Muslims who attack British citizens and abuse their women and Children with Immunity and impunity. Nations of laws that respect and tolerate diversity do not need to preside over their own demise by failing to respond to internal conflicts promoted by Islamist, the same who fought and killed British soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.

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WaWigle • Dec 4, 2014 at 22:27

Back a few thousands of years ago, a Hebrew named Moses led his people out of slavery of Egypt. His God gave him ten rules (the Ten commandments) to live by. The first rule was to inform mankind that these rules are His, and don't mess with them, just obey them.

I believe that the first one is "I am the Lord thy God. You shall have no gods before me." Now that brings up a certain question to my mind. About 1100 hundred years ago., along comes this fellow named Mohammed, along with his new religion, called the Moslem religion. With a brand new upstart God, named "Allah."

Now to me, any God that teaches his people that it is alright to to break God's commandment -- "You shall not Kill" -- is a God straight out of Hell. And if the Hebrew God is a Jealous God, like I heard he is. I wonder what he is going to do about that upstart, and his followers??? I cannot believe in any religion that tells it's people that it is all right to lie to non-believers, and to kill them, if they won't convert to your way of thinking. I am still a free man, and I want to stay that way. Everyone has to answer to their own God. I just hope that their paradise is not that hot one, that every refers to, as down below.

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DrJLDneurology • Dec 4, 2014 at 19:07

I never thought I would see the day when Great Britain threw in the towel and gave up the battle against evil. She is no longer a bulwark against the dark forces of the world. She no longer inspires those who believe in freedom and liberty. Now they support purveyors of mind and behavioral control. Many of the rights previously enjoyed by Britons for centuries are now only theoretical in practice.

Not only that, but much of the population no longer knows the difference between good and evil. And, for those who do, many prefer evil, revels in it, bathes in it, loves it, and celebrates every evil act it commits.

Britain has long had a "love" affair with Jew-hating and Arab-loving. Hating Jews has been a feature of British society since, at least, the medieval period. Arab-love has been a feature since the time, especially, of Egyptian exploration and archaeology and then from Lawrence of Arabia and the discovery of Arab oil.

Jews had always been filthy Jews, but Arabs were exciting and noble creatures of the romantic desert. And it this attitude and the accompanying cognitive and emotional underpinnings of Arab-love have only gotten stronger as the devils have come to your country.

As long as Arabs do what so many Britons would like to do (kill Jews) they will enjoy support in Britain, a country now bereft of moral and ethical standards...anything goes. The first first rot came from the slavish copying of US standards, or lack thereof...the second came directly from the most violent and virulent Muslims you could bring into your own country.

I hope that the guilty in the UK are very happy as their heads fall from their necks one day soon. It's already started in the country and will become more and more common as you try to leave Old Blighty, and no one will take you dangerously foolish and immoral people in as refugees. Then, you will find your only defenders and friends will be Israel and the Jews. I imagine many of you would rather be dead than admit that Jews aren't so bad after all. But, that is between you and GOD on judgement day!

Britain is now a profoundly evil country.

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Lyall • Dec 4, 2014 at 17:22

It doesn't appear that the Brits have a "set" large enough along with a complete blind spot to the danger posed by militant Islam. To continue as they have been doing will guarantee a takeover by the "bad guys". So far, I fail to see anyone waking up to this danger.

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john • Dec 4, 2014 at 17:06

Britain survived the German Nazis. Will they survive the Islamists? It seems to me Britain is a hot bed of Islamic radicals calling for the destruction of everything Western and the government stands idly by while hate speech and sedition is rampant.

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Barry Kendall • Dec 4, 2014 at 15:23

The cowardice of the free world is on display for all to see. Many anti-Islamic groups do not appear to realize that the problem is not ignorance about the genuine nature is Islam, it is cowardice on the part of most people in the free world.

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Doug Mayfield • Dec 4, 2014 at 13:01

The Left and followers of Islam are natural allies because they both want to stamp out freedom and individual rights wherever they find them, all around the world. England is no exception.

As long as the Left has a strong presence in British politics, England will continue to experience difficulty with, confusion about, dealing with terrorism, because Left wing lies not to the contrary, the Left avidly embraces violence, including terrorism, for political gain.

The so-called 'moderate followers of Islam' are an endangered species because even assuming that they exist, the moment that they suggest that Islam change, move in a less violent and tyrannical direction, they are condemned as the Islamic equivalent of heretics and expunged, imprisoned, or slaughtered by the true followers of Islam.

As long as the evil belief system, Islam, exists, the West, that is, all countries in which freedom and individual rights are valued including Israel, will be under constant attack.

We must choose to condemn Islam absolutely or we will not survive.

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Albert Reingewirtz • Dec 4, 2014 at 12:43

Why do you expect humanity from the once great Britain? Calling nations they wanted to strip of resources for their own Great Britain they called them with a stiff upper lip: "Natives." The White Papers prevented Jews from reaching the British Mandate to set up a home for the Jews and many Jews did not survive the Shoah. The Exodus, the British concentration camps for survivors of the Shoah on Cyprus… Anyone expecting something not to be terrible for the Jews from those Brits is out of his mind.

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Maurice Ziff • Dec 4, 2014 at 11:30

This is sickening. We know where the money goes, but the Brits are so easily duped.

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Nechama • Dec 4, 2014 at 09:23

The English have a long history of appeasement to terrorism. They possibly began the trend, when in the 1920s, they responded to Arab riots and pogroms by limiting the *Jewish* immigration and by severely curtailing the legality for *Jews* to by land in most of the areas which were already promised to Jews.

It's quite easy to condemn ISIS- they have no agenda other than creating a Caliphate, which most (not all) Westerners see as a dangerous goal. But organizations like Hamas, PFLP, etc. can always be appeased by blaming the victims of their cruelty.

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Bart Benschop • Dec 4, 2014 at 09:04

Dear Sir,

The British under their mandate of Palestine appointed the wealthy member of Palestinian land owners, Haj Mohammed Effendi Amin el-Husseini, Grand Mufti. This man was up to his neck involved in terrorist acts against Zionists. He was arrested and sent to jail for ten years by the British and was promptly exonerated by the British. He continued his terrorist activities not just in Palestine, but also from Iraq where he fled to later. During WWII he was involved in terrorist attacks operating from Italy, Germany and Yugoslavia. He later came under the protective wings of General de Gaulle.Before, during and after WWII the British did not support the Zionists. It provided the Commander in Chief, officers, troops, training, weapons and active involvement in support of the Muslims neighboring countries to illegally invade Israel.It even destroyed the main synagogue in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem.

So what has changed?

Kind regards,

Bart Benschop

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Carl • Dec 4, 2014 at 08:23

It will only be a matter of time until the Islamists rise up and try to take over Britain and also France. It should be an easy task as the citizens of both countries are unarmed and defenseless. It would seem that the only people who do not have to be politically correct are those Muslims who do not wish to assimilate into their adopted countries, in neither dress nor behaviour. I was a liberal in the 1960s, but that was a different time with different goals. It is way past time for the world to wake up and open our eyes as to what is really going on.

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Colin Jones Carl • Dec 8, 2014 at 02:57

I think the press has a lot to answer for when a creature such as this Ahmed Brahimi who advocates the killing of Jews is not exposed for the sociopath he is. Mind you, this is official policy of Hamas except that Brahimi mentioned Jewish children, big brave man that he is. You can bet your life he will be in the back room cheering them on.

I have seen Gazan children holding AK-47s, so it is clear kids are just another martyrdom resource for the Islamists running Gaza.
Britain needs to wake up to this con and to think our old friend Leila Khaled is still about. I was hoping she had gone to an early grave but alas.

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